Question About 1963 Topps Mickey Mantle
 

I have a friend who has a 1963 Topps Mickey Mantle error card. The reverse has info/stats for Billy O'Dell. He also has a card with O'Dell on the front and Mantle stats on the reverse. I've looked online to help him with a rough value but have found nothing. There was one on eBay for $495.00 that did not sell. I'd say the card is VG-, probably worth around $65-75 if it was not an error.

Thanks for the Help!

Ben

Mantle Error
 

I collect errors and variations to my sets, but have stayed away from wrong backs and blank backs ( other than proofs like the 67 Maris Yankee) because there are a lot of them and they are more random than a repeating error or variation cards. Some folks do collect them, and the fact it is a Mantle would count for something, but from my experience a regular Mantle card is likely to bring more than the error unless some die hard Mantle collector is into wrong backs. But, I could easily be, and often am, wrong

I'm a player collector (Lou Brock) and I'd buy a wrong back Brock for my collection. How much of a premium, I don't know, but probably not much more
than the regular card in the set in the same condition went for, as it is not really a variation, just a printing error.

But some obsessed Mantle collector might pay bunches for it.

The fact that there is apparently one on Ebay that didn't sell for $495 tells you it's not worth that much.

I'd guess 1.5 to 2x the value.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I will admit to a slight curiosity about the "matched pair" though.

Doug

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm going to pass along the info to my friend.

I kind of like the matched pair aspect, too.

Larry

I have a 1963 Topps wrongback of Ken Hubbs / Jim Umbricht, neither lived to see the opening of the 1964 season! I have over 40 wrongbacks from the '63 set, and have the Mantle / O'Dell combo mentioned above. I have not paid very much for the wrongbacks, there are very few who seem to collect error cards.

I like the wrong back and/or blank back Mantle cards and am always a buyer if anyone wants to part with them for reasonable prices.